


The Prodigal Cub Returns

by The_Myth_Rider



Series: The Dragon With A Mane [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Adorable, Awkward Crush, Crush at First Sight, Dorothea voice: I like this one, F/F, First Meeting, First Meetings, Fluff, Gay, Gay Panic, hella gay, like I'm surprised my character didn't die, like a lot of gay panic, prodigal return, short and sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:48:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22808128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Myth_Rider/pseuds/The_Myth_Rider
Summary: Ariel von Drachenhardt is about to make a very risky gamble. She needs to find her missing father—an imperial war hero who's disappeared off the face of Fodlan—before it's too late. But she must do so in secret, lest eyes fall on her that Ariel cannot afford to be seen by.Though, she's about to fall under a gaze she was far from prepared to be under.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Dragon With A Mane [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1639684
Kudos: 6





	The Prodigal Cub Returns

**Author's Note:**

> I can't fucking believe I never shared this on here, forgive me, everyone.

_This was a mistake._

Ariel von Drachenhardt gulped as she arrived at Garreg Mach Monastery, and her impending trepidation grew with each step of her horse beneath her. Said horse had the opposite attitude, as his steps grew excited, and he sped up without prompt from his rider. She was far too wrapped up in her turmoil to notice, anyhow, her stormy blue eyes locked fearfully on the towering ramparts of the complex. The walls that were built to protect, to inspire and educate, to shelter future leaders and peacekeepers.

All Ariel saw, however…was the promise of danger.

This was a very risky undertaking that she was about to pull, and the possibility of failure was monumental compared to that of success. She bit her lip as her horse approached the gates, which rumbled as its chain lifted it high. Doubt crowded about her mind, _what was she thinking?_ To disguise herself as a boy, enter under a false name, and actually somehow succeed in getting into Garreg Mach? All to track down the one person capable of helping her find her father?

Honestly, it was either a miracle or a stroke of luck that she had made it this far at all.

_By the Goddess, how am I going to pull this off?_

The gatekeeper greeted Ariel kindly, and the nearby knights directed her and her horse to the nearby stables. She took a deep breath as she thanked them, then dismounted and led her horse into the building. Luckily, they had plenty of stalls available for the horses that students brought with them, and Ariel made quick work of removing the tack of settling him in. Once her horse made himself comfortable, head held proudly out over the doorway as he neighed excitedly.

Ariel smiled at him, and reached out to scratch the underside of his long face as she kissed his nose.

“You rest up now, Romeo. You did well, thank you.”

“Partial to your horse there, are you?”

Ariel jumped, startled at the sudden voice, and spun around to face them. She was shocked a second time as she beheld the newcomer, a young woman clad in a student’s uniform who seemed to be roughly her age. But oh, Goddess help her, this girl was far too pretty to be the first person Ariel saw. Curly brown locks that fell about her shoulders as she tilted her head to regard Ariel, topped by a small black hat that was far too adorable for her to endure.

_Oh no, oh please, oh Goddess why me?_

Then the girl smiled, as if amused by Ariel’s hesitation, and she panicked.

“Umm, uh, I, yeah, I’ve took–take, taken care of him since we were both small.” She scratched the back of her head, buzzed short like the sides, and shrugged. “I guess I’m just used to talking to him.”

The girl giggled, one hand raised to hide her mouth as she did so, and Ariel did everything in her power not to blush. As it was, her cheeks probably pinked up a tad, but hopefully the student would be too distracted by her mirth to notice. Once the giggles abated, the girl smiled back up at Ariel, though it was far cheekier this time.

“Well, that is very charming of you to be so close with your horse like that.” She held her hand to Ariel, her once cheeky smile softening to a sweet grin. “Dorothea Arnault, a pleasure to meet you. I heard my class was getting a new student, and I figured you ought to get the best first impression possible.”

The girl, _Dorothea_ , finished her introduction with a wink, and Ariel found herself gulping yet again.

_I am going to die here in more ways than one, aren’t I?_

Ariel took a deep breath, threw on her winning smile that her mother always said would win hearts, and shook Dorothea’s offered hand.

“Leonard Drake, and the pleasure is mine.”


End file.
